Spark plug cleaning apparatus



Oct. 10, 1933. VAILES 1,930,115

SPARK PLUG CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 12, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR flfqu/e/cg G kJ/AEJ.

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Oct. 10, 1933. M, v s 1,930,115

SPARK PLUG CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 12, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Get. 10, 1933 SPARK PLUG CLEANING APPARATUS Maurice G. Vailes, New York, N. Y., assignor to Powermor Utilities Corporation, New York,

Application November 12, 1932 Serial No. 642,334

Claims.

This invention relates to spark plug cleaning apparatus and is an improvement over the construction set forth in my co-pending application, Serial No. 569,280, filed October 16, 1931.

5 The invention makes use of the sand blast principle for cleaning the electrode end of a spark plug to remove any carbon or dirt which might accumulate thereon by use of the same in an internal combustion engine. In prior apparatus of this kind the electrode end of the spark plug to be cleaned is supported within a receiving opening and due to thoughtlessness, an

operator may place the apparatus in operation before properly positioning the spark plug, or may remove the plug from the apparatus While in operation. Such carelessness results in a shower of sand being blown out through the plug receiving opening necessitating the frequent refilling of the apparatus with sand and subjects the operator to injury or loss of eyesight.

The primary object of this invention is to overcome these objections, by making it impossible for the apparatus to be turned on until the spark plug is properly inserted into the apparatus, and

which prevents removal of the spark plug until the apparatus has been shut off. The safety of the operator is assured against injury by4the accidental escape of flying sand.

Another feature of the invention is to provide a spark plug cleaning device which is manually controlled and in which each manual operation is recorded to enable the owner of the machine to accurately check up on a licensed operator as r to the number of spark plugs which have been cleaned by the machine within a given period of time.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of a sand blasting apparatus for cleaning spark plugs in which an auxiliary air pipe is led from the main source of air supply which may be opened for use when it is desired to blow away any particles of sand left upon or within the electrode end of the plug after a cleaning operation.

A further object of the invention is to simplify the construction and operation of spark plug cleaning apparatus using the sand blast principle, and to minimize the cost of manufacture.

With these and other objects in view, the in- 5 vention resides in the certain novel construction,

combination and arrangement of parts, the essential features of which are hereinafter fully described, are particularly pointed out in the appended claims, and are illustrated in the ac-' companying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of my invention with parts shown in elevation.

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view entire line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail perspective view of actuating mechanism.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional View on the 11 .16 44 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a detail sectional elevational View showing the manner in which the plug holding hood is locked against opening while the machine is in operation.

Referring to the drawings by reference characters, the numeral 10 designates an outer casing or housing having a door 11 in one of the side walls to enable access to the interior oi? the casing and which may be held closed by a key actuated lock 12. to prevent unauthorized entry thereto. Contained within the casing 10 is a pedestal 13, the base of which is bolted to the bottom of the casing 10 as at 14. Cast with the pedestal is a housing or casing 15, the interior of which constitutes a sand chamber. The op.-v posite sides of the casing 15 are provided with air outlet openings 16 which are covered by fine mesh screens 17 held in position bya clamping ring 18 which is removably secured by screws 19.

The top of the casing 15 rises to the top or 35 the outer casing or housing l0and is formed with an opening 20 which registers with an opening 21 in the top wall of the casing 19 The top oi the casing 15 adjacent the opening 20 is provided with a shoulder for supporting a gasket 22, which gasket extends above the plane of the top of the casing 10. Hinged tothe top of the casing 15 is a disk plate 23 which may be swung down upon the gasket 22 for accommodating a spark plug 2i tobe cleaned. In the 5 cleaning of spark plugs of a larger. size than that shown in the drawings, the plate 23 may be swung clear of the opening 20 and the spark plug seated directly upon the gasket '22. The

opening 25 in the gate 23 is smaller in diameter 19 than the opening 20 andwhen the plate is in opposition over the opening 20, the opening 25' is in axial alinement with respect to the openingZOj. Rising upwardly within the outer, casing 10 is an air inlet pipe 26 which extends within 0 the casing 15 upwardly fromthe bottom there 1 of and terminates in a jet 27. Encircling the jet 27 in spaced relation thereto and rising upwardly within the casing 15 is a sleeve 28,v the said jet and sleeve beingin axial alinementwith respect to the opening 20 in the top of the casing 15. A sleeve 28 is provided with openings 29 adjacent the jet 27 and which openings permit of the sand being drawn into the sleeve 28 when the air through the pipe 26 is turned on. The sand contained within the casing 15 is of such quantity as to always be disposed above the level of the openings 29 whereby the air discharged from the jet 2'? will cause a fountain of sand to rise upwardly through the sleeve 28 and act against the electrode end of the spark plug 24 for loosening particles of carbon which might be present thereon.

Arranged within the air inlet pipe 26 is a turnable control valve 30, the same including a manipulating wing 31. Fixedly secured to the front wall of the casing 10 is a substantially U-shaped bracket 32 in which a shaft 33 is journaled, one end of the shaft extends exteriorly of the casing 10 and has a manipulating knob 34 fixedly secured thereto. The inner end of the shaft 33 is formed with an enlarged head 35 having a slot or bifurcation 36 formed therein. The shaft 33 is disposed in axial alinement with respect to the axis of rotation of the manipulating wing 31 of the valve 30 and the said manipulating wing extends into the slot or bifurcation 36 of the head 35. Thus it will be seen by turning the knob 34, the valve 30 may be manually turned on and off.

For the purpose of holding the spark plug 24 in a seated position for cleaning there is provided a bearing bracket 37 which is bolted to the top of the casing 15 and extends above the top of the casing or housing 10. The bearing bracket slidably supports a tubular rod 38, the upper end of which is provided with a manipulating knob 39, while the opposite end threadedly receives a hood or bonnet 40 of a size to freely slide down over the spark plug 24. Slidable within the tubular rod 38 is a plunger rod 41, the lower end of which is provided with a head 42 which is slidable within the bonnet 40.

One end of a coil spring 43 abuts the head 42,

while the opposite end is fixedly secured to the bonnet 40. The coil spring encircles the piston rod 41 and serves to normally urge the plunger head 42 toward the lower open end of the bonnet 40. When the bonnet is lowered to a position over the spark plug to be cleaned, the head 42 of the plunger seats upon the top of the spark plug and the spring is compressed whereby the spark plug is held in a firmly seated position. The bonnet 40 and shaft 38 are of secured to the actuating shaft 33.

such weight as to overcome the action of the spring 43 whereby it always remains in a position over the spark plug when the device is in operation.

In order to prevent an operator from thoughtlessly turning on the valve 30 before the spark plug 26 is seated in position with the bonnet enclosing the same, means is provided whereby the valve 30 cannot be turned on, and when turned on the bonnet cannot be raised. 1 For this purpose I provide a bar 44 which has its upper end fixedly secured to a flange 45 extending from the lower end of the bonnet 40, the said bar extending down alongside of the front of the casing 15 and is guided in its vertical movement by a guide member or bracket 46. The bar 44 is provided with an elongated slot 4'7 which when the bonnet 40 is in lowered position is disposed in the path of a hook catch member 48 fixedly Thus it will be seen that when the hood 40 is in a raised position the slot 47 is out of the path of turning movement of the catch hook 48, thus the bill of the catch hook will strike the lower end of the bar 44, and prevent the valve 30 from being turned to an on position. Also, the hood 40 cannot be raised when the valve 30 is in an on position due to the engagement of the hook 48 with the bar 44. This will prevent an operator from removing the spark plug during the time when the machine is in operation which would result in a shower of sand being blown through the opening 20 in the top of the sand casing 15.

In order to ascertain the number of actuations of the machine in instances where the same may be installed for use at so much per operation, I provide a counter device 49 mounted upon the U-shaped bracket 32. actuating shaft 50 on which an arm 51 is fixedly mounted, and which arm is disposed in the path of movement of a cam 52 carried by the actuating shaft 33. On each actuation of the shaft 33 to turn the valve 30 to an on position, the cam 52 will actuate the arm 51 to cause the counting device 49 to register an operation. The said arm 51 idly moves when the shaft 33 is turned to close the valve 30. Thus on each actuation of the device, the same will be recorded on the'register 49.

Arranged within the pipe line 26 and disposed within the casing 10 is a T-fitting 53 to which an auxiliary air discharge pipe 54 is connected. The pipe 54 rises vertically to the top of the casing 10 and is provided exteriorly of the casing with a pet cook or valve 55. An operator at any time may actuate the valve 55 in order to blow off any particles of sand which may remain on the terminal end of the spark plug after cleaning operation. It is of course only necessary to hold the terminal end of the plug over the discharge end of the valve 55 and the pressure of the air discharged therefrom will blow away any particles of sand present thereon.

It will of course be understood that the pipe 26 is connected to any source of air pressure such as an air storage tank, pump or the like, and the air discharged within the sand chamber is permitted to escape through the air discharge openings 16, the screens 1'7 serving to prevent the escape of sand from the sand chamber.

While I have shown and described what I deem to be the most desirable embodiment of my invention, I wish it to be understood that various changes as come within the scope of the appended claims may be resorted to if desired.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:--

1. A spark plug cleaning apparatus comprising a casing adapted to contain sand having an opening therein, clamping means by which a spark plug may be supported with its terminal end extending into said opening, an air pressure pipe entering said casing opposite said opening and adapted to be connected with a source of air pressure, a valve for controlling the fiow of air through said air pipe, manual actuating means for turning said valve on and off, and means operable upon actuation of said actuating means to an on position for locking said clamping means in clamping position and for releasing the same upon actuation of said actuating means to an off position.

2. A spark plug cleaning apparatusv comprise ing a casing adapted to contain sand having an opening therein, clamping means bywhich a The device includes an spark plug may be supported with its terminalf end extending into said opening, an air pres-' sure pipe entering'said casing opposite said open"- ing and adapted to be connected with a source 01' air pressure, a valve for controlling the flow of air through said air pipe, manual actuating means for turning said valve on and off, and means operable upon actuation of said actuating means to an on position for locking said clamping means in clamping position and for releasing the same upon actuation of said actuating means to an off position, a counting device, and means operable upon each actuation of said actuating means to an on position for actuating said counting device.

3. A spark plug cleaning apparatus comprising a casing adapted to contain sand having an opening therein within which the terminal end of a spark plug is adapted to extend, means for introducing an air stream under pressure within said casing, a manually operable control valve for controlling said air stream, spark plug clamping means, and means preventing the actuation of said control valve to an on position when said clamping means is in an inoperative position and for permitting actuation of said control valve to an on position when said clamping means is in operative position, and for locking said clamping means in operative position while said valve is on.

4. A spark plug cleaning apparatus comprising a casing adapted to contain sand and having an opening therein to receive the terminal end of a spark plug, and an air pipe extending into said casing, a valve arranged within said air pipe, turnable attaching means for said valve for turning the same on and off, a spring actuated plunger for clamping a spark plug upon said casing with the terminal end extending into said opening, a bonnet slidable over said plunger for enclosing a spark plug when in position for cleaning, and means preventing actuation of said turnable actuating means when said bonnet is not in an enclosing position, and for permitting actuation of said turnable actuating means to an on position, and for locking said bonnet against movement to open position when the actuating means is moved to a closed position.

5. A spark plug cleaning apparatus comprising a casing adapted to contain sand and having an opening therein to receive the terminal end of a spark plug, and an air pipe extending into said casing, a valve arranged within said air pipe, turnable actuating means for said valve for turning the same on and OK, said" turnable actuating means including a hook catch, a spring actuated plunger for clamping a spark plug upon said casing with the terminal end extending into said opening, a bonnet slidable over said plunger for enclosing a spark plug when in position for cleaning, a member carried by said bonnet having a slot therein, said slot being out of the path of movement of said hook catch when said bonnet is in an open position whereby said hook catch strikes said member and prevents turning of said turnable actuating means to an on position while the hook catch passes through said slot when said bonnet is in closed position to enable actuation of said turnable actuating means to an on position.

6. In a spark plug cleaning apparatus, a spark plug rest, clamping means by which a spark plug to be cleaned may be held upon said rest,

Send blast means, manually actuated means for controlling the actuation of said sand blast means, and means for locking said clamping means upon'actuation of said manually actuated means when moved to an on position and forreleasing said clamping means when said manually actuated means is in an off position.

'7. A spark plug cleaning apparatus comprising a casing adapted to contain sand having an opening in the top wall thereof, a seat adjacent said opening for supporting a spark plug to be cleaned with its terminal end extending into said opening, an air inlet pipe rising from the bottom of said casing directly opposite said opening, a manually actuated control valve for controlling the flow of air through said air pipe, a spring actuated plunger mounted above said opening for clamping a spark plug upon said seat, a bonnet slidable over said plunger for enclosing a spark plug when in clamped position upon said seat, and means for locking said bonnet down over said seat when said control valve is actuated to an on position, and for releasing the same when in an off position.

8. A spark plug cleaning apparatus comprising a casing adapted to contain sand having an opening in the top wall thereof, a seat adjacent said opening for'supporting a spark plug to be cleaned with its terminal end extending into said opening, an air inlet pipe arising from the bottom of said casing directly opposite said opening, a manually actuated control valve for controlling the flow of air through said air pipe, a spring actuated plunger mounted above said opening for clamping a spark plug upon said seat, a bonnet slidable over said plunger for enclosing a spark plug when in clamped position upon said seat, and means for locking said bonnet down over said seat when said control valve is actuated to an on position, and for releasing the same when in an oil position, said means including a member having a slot therein carried by said bonnet, and a hook catch operable with said control valve for causing the hook catch to enter said slot when the same is in the path of movement of the hook catch.

9. A spark plug cleaning apparatus comprising a casing adapted to contain sand having an opening in the top wall thereof, a seat adjacent said opening for supporting a spark plug to be cleaned with its terminal end extending into said opening, an air inlet pipe rising from the bottom of said casing opposite said opening, a control valve arranged in said inlet pipe, manually actuated turnable means for moving said valve to on and oil positions, a bonnet slidably mounted above said opening for movement to a position thereover, and releasable interlocking means for locking said bonnet down over said opening when said manually actuated turnable means is moved to turn said valve to an on position, and forreleasing the same for free sliding movement when said turnable means is in an off position.

10. A spark plug cleaning apparatus comprising a casing adapted to contain sand having an opening in the top wall thereof, a seat adjacent said opening for supporting a spark plug to be cleaned with its terminal end extending into said opening, an air inlet pipe rising from the bottom of said casing opposite said opening, a control valve arranged in said inlet pipe, manually actuated turnable means for moving said valve to on and oil positions, a bonnet slidably mounted-abovesaid opening for movement to a position thereo'ver, and releasable interlocking means for locking said bonnet down over said opening whensaid mani'l'ally actuated turnable means is moved to turn saidrvalve to an on position, andlfor releasing the same' for free sliding movement when said turnable VMAUIRICE G. AILEs. 

